Loops

Loops
● Loops allow your programs to execute lines of code
repeatedly, saving you from needing to copy and
paste or otherwise repeat lines of code.

● C provides a few different ways to implement loops

in your programs, some of which likely look familiar
from Scratch.
Loops
while (true)
{

• This is what we call an infinite loop. The lines of code

between the curly braces will execute repeatedly from top
to bottom, until and unless we break out of it (as with a
break; statement) or otherwise kill our program.
Loops
while (boolean-expr)
{

• If the boolean-expr evaluates to true, all lines of code

between the curly braces will execute repeatedly, in order
from top-to-bottom, until boolean-expr evaluates to
false.
• Somewhat confusingly, the behavior of the Scratch block is
reversed, but it is the closest analog.
Loops
do • This loop will execute all lines
{ of code between the curly
braces once, and then, if the
} boolean-expr evaluates to
while (boolean-expr); true, will go back and repeat
that process until boolean-
expr evaluates to false.
Loops
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
{

}
• Syntactically unattractive, but for loops are used to repeat the
body of a loop a specified number of times, in this example 10.
• The process undertaken in a for loop is:
• The counter variable(s) (here, i) is set
• The Boolean expression is checked.
• If it evaluates to true, the body of the loop executes.
• If it evaluates to false, the body of the loop does not
execute.
• The counter variable is incremented, and then the
Boolean expression is checked again, etc.
Loops
for (start; expr; increment)
{

}
• Syntactically unattractive, but for loops are used to repeat the
body of a loop a specified number of times, in this example 10.
• The process undertaken in a for loop is:
• The statement(s) in start are executed
• The expr is checked.
• If it evaluates to true, the body of the loop executes.
• If it evaluates to false, the body of the loop does not
execute.
• The statement(s) in increment are executed, and then
the expr is checked again, etc.
Loops
while
● Use when you want a loop to repeat an unknown number
of times, and possibly not at all.

do-while
● Use when you want a loop to repeat an unknown number
of times, but at least once.

for
● Use when you want a loop to repeat a discrete number of
times, though you may not know the number at the
moment the program is compiled.